KWY Club Connect

KWY Club Connect funded to run preventative program in football clubs

The Club Connect project has been trialed using volunteer staff from KWY. ClubConnect has been very successful and has received very positive feedback and support from local football clubs and the Southern Football League. Due to the success and support of Club Connect at Port Noarlunga football club, the Southern Football League now holds a White Ribbon round each year where over 2,000 young males pledge to stand up to violence against women. The Pt Noarlunga football club has seen a fundamental shift in positive attitudes towards violence against women and also attitudinal change surrounding depression and suicide prevention.

Recently Club Connect held another seminar relating to domestic and Aboriginal family violence at Pt Noarlunga football club (May 28th). At this seminar where over 90 people including the broader community attended, Arman Abrahimzadeh spoke. Arman who is a White Ribbon ambassador is working hard with KWY to change the way Australia deals with domestic violence, appearing on an intensely emotional Q&A recently, when Rosie Batty launched a frank and heartbreaking discussion on the subject. Arman discussed his experiences and views, and believes things are slowly improving.

Arman told the large audience “I look at domestic violence as an illness or disease. Would you just try to cure it, or prevent it happening in the first place?

“This sort of behaviour can be prevented. I’m a man speaking out about what is largely a men’s issue. It strengthens the message to have a man delivering it.”

“I believe this very strongly. It’s made me think about how I go about my everyday life.”

His presentation was received with applause and many questions from the young males in the audience. A link to the digital recording of the evening is provided.

Club Connect was funded to deliver to 5 clubs in the Southern Football League 10 seminars on Domestic Violence and Depression starting in 2016. KWY are excited to deliver and further develop the program, thanks to the Quaker services Australia.